Günter Ropohl studied mechanical engineering and philosophy at Stuttgart University, where he was a scholar of the philosopher Max Bense. After his PhD (Dr.-Ing.) in 1970, he wrote his Habilitation thesis in Philosophy und Sociology at Karlsruhe University 1978 under the supervision of Hans Lenk. His work dealt with the systems theory of "Technik" (engl. technique), leading to the concept of general technology.[1] In 1979, Ropohl became professor at the Universität Karlsruhe (TH). Soon after, in 1981, he became professor for Allgemeine Technologie (general technology) and philosophy of technology at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main, Germany (until 2004). In the 1980s, he visited his colleague and friend Carl Mitcham in the United States. From 1983 to 1991, i.e. during the period of the Cold War, he was course director and visiting lecturer at the Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik (Croatia). In 1988, he was invited as visiting professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY. Ropohl was an honorary member of the German Engineering Association (VDI), due to his interdisciplinary engagement for the philosophy of technology. He was co-editor of an anthology of the classics in the philosophy of technology in a Continental-European tradition.[2] Ropohl published 15 monographs, (co-)edited another 15 books and published more than 180 articles. He died on 28 January 2017 at the age of 77.[3]
Philosophyedit
A central concept in his work was sociotechnical systems, i.e. he regarded techniques as societal structures. Ropohl was a critic of the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann and voted for the recognition of material culture. His definition of (German) "Technik" included a) the utility, b) artificiality and c) functionality. In the focus of his work is the combination of technique as artefact and action, whereas knowledge insinuates the meta-concept of technology. Therefore, he differentiated between engineering sciences and technical sciences.[4]
Ropohl was well known in the German-speaking academia for his writings on the concepts of Technik and Technologie, the ethics of technology, technology assessment, professional ethics for engineers and on the societal need for educating towards technology literacy.
He received a Festschrift with contributions from academic scholars, focusing on his work and related discourses, both on his 65th and 75th birthday (edited by Nicole C. Karafyllis, see literature), including a complete list of his publications from the late 1960s to 2014.
Selected publications in Englishedit
Article on systems-theoretical approaches and morphological methods in forecasting, in; Technological Forecastings in Practice, Farnborough/Lexington, MA: Saxon Jouse 1973, pp. 29–38.
Article in Research in Philosophy and Technology, Vol. 2, ed. P. T. Durbin, Greenwich, CT: Jai Press 1979, pp. 15–52.
"Information doesn't make sense", in Carl Mitcham and Alois Huning (Eds.): Philosophy and Technology II: Information Technology and Computers in Theory and Practice, Dordrecht/Boston MA 1986, pp. 63–74.
"Deficiencies in Engineering Education", in P. T. Durbin (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Nonacademic Science and Engineering, Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University Press and London/Toronto: Associated University Presses 1991, pp. 278–295.
"Knowledge Types in Technology", in: M.J. de Vries & A. Tamir (Eds.), Shaping Concepts of Technology. From Philosophical Perspective to Mental Images, Dordrecht 1997.
"Technological enlightenment as a continuation of modern thinking", in Carl Mitcham (Ed.): Research in philosophy and technology, vol. 17, Technology, ethics and culture, Creenwich CT/London: Jai Press 1998, pp. 239–248.
, in: Society for Philosophy and Technology, Spring 1999, Volume 4, Number 3, 1999.
"Mixed prospects of engineering ethics". European Journal of Engineering Education, 27 (2) (2002), pp. 149–155.
Monographs in Germanedit
Flexible Fertigungssysteme : zur Automatisierung der Serienfertigung. Mainz: Krausskopf 1971 (= Produktionstechnik heute 1, ed. H. J. Warnecke; dissertation Universität Stuttgart 1970)
Eine Systemtheorie der Technik : zur Grundlegung der Allgemeinen Technologie. München/Wien: Hanser 1979 (Habilitationsschrift Universität Karlsruhe 1978). 2nd ed. 1999, 3rd ed. Karlsruhe 2009.
Die unvollkommene Technik. Frankfurt/M: Suhrkamp 1985
Signaturen der technischen Welt : Neue Beiträge zur Technikphilosophie, Berlin/Münster: LIT Verlag 2009
Besorgnisgesellschaft, Berlin: Parodos 2014
Books about his workedit
Karl Eugen Kurrer: The history of the theory of structures, Ernst & Sohn 2008, pp. 148–152.
Nicole C. Karafyllis/Tilmann Haar (Eds.): Technikphilosophie im Aufbruch. Festschrift für Günter Ropohl. Berlin: Edition Sigma, 2004 (in German; includes a complete list of his publications from the late 1960s to 2004).
Nicole C. Karafyllis (Ed.): Das Leben führen? Lebensführung zwischen Technikphilosophie und Lebensphilosophie. Für Günter Ropohl zum 75. Geburtstag. Berlin: Edition sigma, 2014 (in German, Festschrift for Ropohl's 75th birthday; continues in the appendix the list of publications 2004-2014)
Elisabeth Gräb-Schmidt: Technikethik und ihre Fundamente. Dargestellt in Auseinandersetzung mit den technikethischen Ansätzen von Günter Ropohl und Walter Zimmerli. De Gruyter 2002.
Friedrich Rapp: "Philosophy of Technology after twenty years: A German perspective", Society for Philosophy and Technology, 1995.
External linksedit
Josef Bordat: Mensch, Natur, Handlung. Zu Ropohls Systemtheorie der Technik. 2001.
Referencesedit
^published under the title Eine Systemtheorie der Technik 1979, 2nd. ed. under the title Allgemeine Technologie, 1999, 3rd ed. 2009, open source: [1]
^* Hubig, Ch., Huning, A. and Ropohl, G. (Eds.), Nachdenken über Technik. Die Klassiker der Technikphilosophie, Berlin 2000. 3rd ed. 2013 (to be translated into English and Chinese in the next years).
^Günter Ropohl, Eine Systemtheorie der Technik, 1979, p. 34f.
January 01, 1970
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Gunter Ropohl news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2024 Learn how and when to remove this message Gunter Ropohl 14 June 1939 in Cologne Germany 28 January 2017 was a German philosopher of technology Contents 1 Biography 2 Philosophy 3 Selected publications in English 4 Monographs in German 5 Books about his work 6 External links 7 ReferencesBiography editGunter Ropohl studied mechanical engineering and philosophy at Stuttgart University where he was a scholar of the philosopher Max Bense After his PhD Dr Ing in 1970 he wrote his Habilitation thesis in Philosophy und Sociology at Karlsruhe University 1978 under the supervision of Hans Lenk His work dealt with the systems theory of Technik engl technique leading to the concept of general technology 1 In 1979 Ropohl became professor at the Universitat Karlsruhe TH Soon after in 1981 he became professor for Allgemeine Technologie general technology and philosophy of technology at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universitat in Frankfurt am Main Germany until 2004 In the 1980s he visited his colleague and friend Carl Mitcham in the United States From 1983 to 1991 i e during the period of the Cold War he was course director and visiting lecturer at the Inter University Centre Dubrovnik Croatia In 1988 he was invited as visiting professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester NY Ropohl was an honorary member of the German Engineering Association VDI due to his interdisciplinary engagement for the philosophy of technology He was co editor of an anthology of the classics in the philosophy of technology in a Continental European tradition 2 Ropohl published 15 monographs co edited another 15 books and published more than 180 articles He died on 28 January 2017 at the age of 77 3 Philosophy editA central concept in his work was sociotechnical systems i e he regarded techniques as societal structures Ropohl was a critic of the systems theory of Niklas Luhmann and voted for the recognition of material culture His definition of German Technik included a the utility b artificiality and c functionality In the focus of his work is the combination of technique as artefact and action whereas knowledge insinuates the meta concept of technology Therefore he differentiated between engineering sciences and technical sciences 4 Ropohl was well known in the German speaking academia for his writings on the concepts of Technik and Technologie the ethics of technology technology assessment professional ethics for engineers and on the societal need for educating towards technology literacy He received a Festschrift with contributions from academic scholars focusing on his work and related discourses both on his 65th and 75th birthday edited by Nicole C Karafyllis see literature including a complete list of his publications from the late 1960s to 2014 Selected publications in English editArticle on systems theoretical approaches and morphological methods in forecasting in Technological Forecastings in Practice Farnborough Lexington MA Saxon Jouse 1973 pp 29 38 Article in Research in Philosophy and Technology Vol 2 ed P T Durbin Greenwich CT Jai Press 1979 pp 15 52 Information doesn t make sense in Carl Mitcham and Alois Huning Eds Philosophy and Technology II Information Technology and Computers in Theory and Practice Dordrecht Boston MA 1986 pp 63 74 Deficiencies in Engineering Education in P T Durbin Ed Critical Perspectives on Nonacademic Science and Engineering Bethlehem PA Lehigh University Press and London Toronto Associated University Presses 1991 pp 278 295 Knowledge Types in Technology in M J de Vries amp A Tamir Eds Shaping Concepts of Technology From Philosophical Perspective to Mental Images Dordrecht 1997 Technological enlightenment as a continuation of modern thinking in Carl Mitcham Ed Research in philosophy and technology vol 17 Technology ethics and culture Creenwich CT London Jai Press 1998 pp 239 248 Philosophy of socio technical systems in Society for Philosophy and Technology Spring 1999 Volume 4 Number 3 1999 Mixed prospects of engineering ethics European Journal of Engineering Education 27 2 2002 pp 149 155 Monographs in German editFlexible Fertigungssysteme zur Automatisierung der Serienfertigung Mainz Krausskopf 1971 Produktionstechnik heute 1 ed H J Warnecke dissertation Universitat Stuttgart 1970 Eine Systemtheorie der Technik zur Grundlegung der Allgemeinen Technologie Munchen Wien Hanser 1979 Habilitationsschrift Universitat Karlsruhe 1978 2nd ed 1999 3rd ed Karlsruhe 2009 Die unvollkommene Technik Frankfurt M Suhrkamp 1985 Technologische Aufklarung Beitrage zur Technikphilosophie Frankfurt M Suhrkamp 1991 2nd ed 1999 Ethik und Technikbewertung Frankfurt M Suhrkamp 1996 Wie die Technik zur Vernunft kommt Beitrage zum Paradigmenwechsel in den Technikwissenschaften Amsterdam G B Fakultas 1998 Vom Wert der Technik Stuttgart Kreuz Verlag 2003 Sinnbausteine Ein weltlicher Katechismus Leipzig Reclam 2003 Arbeits und Techniklehre Philosophische Beitrage zur technologischen Bildung Berlin Edition Sigma 2004 Kleinzeug Satiren Limericks Aphorismen Munster LIT Verlag 2004 Allgemeine Technologie Eine Systemtheorie der Technik 3rd ed of the 1979 book Karlsruhe Universitatsverlag 2009 http digbib ubka uni karlsruhe de volltexte 1000011529 Signaturen der technischen Welt Neue Beitrage zur Technikphilosophie Berlin Munster LIT Verlag 2009 Besorgnisgesellschaft Berlin Parodos 2014Books about his work editKarl Eugen Kurrer The history of the theory of structures Ernst amp Sohn 2008 pp 148 152 Nicole C Karafyllis Tilmann Haar Eds Technikphilosophie im Aufbruch Festschrift fur Gunter Ropohl Berlin Edition Sigma 2004 in German includes a complete list of his publications from the late 1960s to 2004 Nicole C Karafyllis Ed Das Leben fuhren Lebensfuhrung zwischen Technikphilosophie und Lebensphilosophie Fur Gunter Ropohl zum 75 Geburtstag Berlin Edition sigma 2014 in German Festschrift for Ropohl s 75th birthday continues in the appendix the list of publications 2004 2014 Elisabeth Grab Schmidt Technikethik und ihre Fundamente Dargestellt in Auseinandersetzung mit den technikethischen Ansatzen von Gunter Ropohl und Walter Zimmerli De Gruyter 2002 Friedrich Rapp Philosophy of Technology after twenty years A German perspective Society for Philosophy and Technology 1995 External links editJosef Bordat Mensch Natur Handlung Zu Ropohls Systemtheorie der Technik 2001 References edit published under the title Eine Systemtheorie der Technik 1979 2nd ed under the title Allgemeine Technologie 1999 3rd ed 2009 open source 1 Hubig Ch Huning A and Ropohl G Eds Nachdenken uber Technik Die Klassiker der Technikphilosophie Berlin 2000 3rd ed 2013 to be translated into English and Chinese in the next years Gunter Ropohl verstorben in German Gunter Ropohl Eine Systemtheorie der Technik 1979 p 34f Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunter Ropohl amp oldid 1223357197, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
